Holding Grudges
by cbell123
Summary: Puck and Rachel dated in HS. After hurtful secrets/break-ups, Rachel moves to New York. While coming home for a reunion, things change. Will secrets come out, or just claws? Will the two HS sweethearts learn that holding grudges only makes it harder?
1. Switching Sides

**Chapter 1: Switching Sides**

This couldn't be happening, but she knew it was because she had seen it with her own eyes. Ugh, she couldn't shake the memory.

_It was 10 o'clock on a Friday night. Rachel had though she had plans, but they had been cancelled because of her father becoming ill. She thought, who better to spend Friday night with than my wonderful boyfriend, Noah Puckerman. How much farther off could she have been?_

"Why? I thought he loved me! He told me so!", Rachel choked out in between her large uncontrollable sobs. Quinn, Santana and Brittany were all over at her house with Sam and Kurt on their way.

_After knocking on the door multiple times, she took out her key and unlocked the door. "Noah", she called, "Noah, where are you, you told me you'd be here". Noah didn't answer. Fortunately for her, she didn't know why, yet._

"H-h-he ch-ch-cheated on me with a s-s-slutty whore!" Rachel cried, "he told me he loved me!". She choked on her sobs as she alternated into different friends arms to sob and sob like she never had before.

_She thought, he's probably playing Black Ops with the volume blasted, gosh, when will he ever learn. She walked up the stairs ready to see her boyfriend for the first time this week after him being sick. And that's when she heard the last sound she could've imagined._

Just then Sam ran in and grabbed her, pulling her into a hug. Rachel loved all of her friends, but Sam could always make her feel safe when he held her. Her older brother was a saint always being there for her in ways that no one else ever could, not even Noah.

_She heard it before she saw what was going on. No one in their right minds could miss the obnoxiously loud sex groans coming from the room of her lying, cheating boyfriend._

"Sam why!" Rachel said pausing to sob, "it's not like Noah! He said t-that he loved me so much. I gave it to him Sam!" Rachel knew she wasn't making any sense to anyone in the room but Sam. He knew she was talking about her virginity and he sighed, not allowing himself to be sad, he knew he had to be there for Rachel.

_Her eyes widened as she opened the door to find a naked Puck humping the school's biggest slut, Sadie. Before she had thought about what she was doing, she let out a loud gasp. Puck looked up, she couldn't even think of him as Noah now. He wanted to call after her, but they all knew once Puck was in, he wasn't going to leave, and that was that. Without saying a word Rachel ran out of the house, hoping that she would never have to see him again. Unfortunately, her wish wasn't even kept for one day._

Sam knew exactly what Rachel was talking about when she said he wasn't Noah. Noah was the sweet boyfriend who brought her grape slushies' on hot summer days. That was Noah who knew exactly how to cheer her up, and would never have a problem with her high maintenance. He knew exactly when to crack a joke, and when to let her cry. It was Noah that she was in love with, but this was Puck. Puck was the kind of guy who she thought Noah had outgrown, but not for the first time tonight, she was flat-out wrong. She made her decision then and there, if she couldn't have Noah, she would have to shoot for her other dream, Broadway. And nothing could stand in the way of a determined Berry, or so she thought.


	2. Walking Backwards

**Chapter 2: Walking Backwards**

5 Years Later… New York City

"Kurt I don't want to go back. I can't do it! I can't face him like this. After I left, I told myself I should never have to see him again!" Rachel cried into the dorm room to her roommate Santana Lopez. "Don't worry", she said sarcastically, "We all know Puck has no problem with breaking promises." Santana's face was harsh. As much as Rachel loved Santana, she was so overprotective. When someone hurt Rachel, they crossed Santana into the cities limits of Lima Heights Adjacent as she liked to say. She knew Santana wanted to go back and rub the fact that Rachel was a Broadway star in Puck's face, but she didn't think she could stand to be around him long enough to do even that. "Oh, c'mon, Sam will be there to protect you! You know he promised to protect you. And if you can trust anyone, it's Sam!" Santana said, trying to reason with a heartbroken girl trying to run away from her past to no avail. "Fine, I'll go for you guys! And to see Quinn and Brittany and everyone else except him!" she screamed, giving up because she really did want to see everyone again. When she left at the very middle of the second semester senior year, there really wasn't a good ending to most of her relationships. I mean sure she had kept up with her good friends, but the people she wasn't especially close to like Tina and Mercedes, well she wasn't even sure she had their updated phone numbers right now. She really did want a chance to make that right even if it meant seeing him and breaking a promise to herself, but Santana was right; Puck knew more than just a thing or 2 about breaking promises, he knew about it firsthand.

_"Rachel" Noah said. They had been trying to watch Rachel's favorite movie, New Girl, but Noah had gotten bored and decided to spice things up by starting a make-out session. Only Noah could pull her away from her favorite movie. There was just something about kissing him that always left her wanting more. "Yeah?" Rachel answered in between kissing. Noah pulled away, "Rachel, I-I love you." Rachel looked up in shock but whispered back, "I love you too, Noah". And she smiled the rest of the night as they continued their now much more meaningful kisses, knowing that it meant so much more than a high school fling._

Rachel remembered that day like it was yesterday. Things had been so simple back then. She loved him, and he loved her. There was no Claire, no college, and definitely no Caroline. She missed those days so much, but she had moved on from high school. And now she had to go back and relive it, all over AGAIN. _Wow,_ she thought_, this is going to be harder than I thought._ And that had to be the understatement of the year.


	3. Back in Lima

**Chapter 3: Back in Lima**

**One week later… at Breadsticks in Lima, Ohio**

"OMG! Rachel! Santana! You guys are finally back from New York. It's been, what, like 5 years, huh?" Brittany exclaimed, reminding Rachel of the reason she had come back in the first place. She smiled remembering the millions of times Brittany had cheered her up in the past, and now she still had that amazing ability to do that almost 5 years later, and that made the whole reunion worth it. Or so she thought. Then Puck walked in, and her face fell harder than ever when she saw the girl on his arm.

She never thought she would have to see her again. This girl was the reason she couldn't come back. She thought that the town slut would be selling herself on the street by now, but it was clearly the same Sadie on Puck's arm.

She gasped and felt Santana pull her into the corner to give her a mini pep-talk. This was one of the things that she and Santana always did for each other. They could read each other like books, and therefore always knew the perfect times to pull this old trick out of the bag. "It's OK Rachel! You can do this! Don't give him the satisfaction of walking out and going home. I know you're strong enough to do this. Besides, you loved Noah, but Noah's gone, he knew better than to stay with a slut like Sadie for longer than one night in bed. Hell, Noah knew to stay away from her period. He's gone. This is Puck, the guy who is completely clueless to the fact that women have feelings. The guy who thinks they are only good when you get them in bed. See him as that, not Noah because Noah is long gone from when you knew him in high school. That's something I know for sure." Santana was so good at knowing exactly what to say. Her speech gave her exactly what she needed to walk out of that corner paint a smile on her face. With that, she was in Berry mode. She only got that way when she was determined, and right now, she wanted nothing more than to enjoy her reunion and convince her ex that she was happy and that she didn't feel bad about not mentioning Caroline to him, even though she did. It was her biggest regret, but she knew she was doing the right thing. Or at least she thought.


	4. Shattered Once Again

**Chapter 4: Shattered Once Again**

**Still at Breadsticks…. Noah's turn to talk**

Sadie and I pulled up to Breadstick's on Friday night. We were 5 minutes late, so I told her we should probably hurry. "Puck you worry too much, this night is supposed to be fun. We finally get to tell people about our engagement! Aren't you excited?" Sadie asked with a smile. "of course", Puck responded flashing her a fake smile. Of course he wasn't excited. He had to see his ex-girlfriend who he had never, EVER, gotten over and tell her that after he cheated on her in front of her own eyes, he also was marrying that same girl. This was going to be one fun night. Wow, even his thoughts were sarcastic… that can't be good.

As they walked into the restaurant, Sadie grabbed his hand and squeezed it, giving him a confident smile. Don't get me wrong, I love Sadie. She's amazing, why else would I propose? It's just that there's Rachel, and that kind of screws everything up. I never even went after her, and Sam wouldn't ever let me talk to her for the short amount of time she was here before she left us all for New York. I mean we all knew it was coming, but I never thought in a million years that it would end like this. I mean it almost seemed like 3 years was nothing to her… wait a minute! I'm engaged, why do I care. C'mon Puck… you're over her, you're over her! His pep-talk to himself in no way prepared him for the way Rachel's beautiful smile the second she saw Sadie and I. I'd like to think that it was Sadie that she didn't like, but we both know that's bullshit. Isn't everything in my brain that way? Then Sadie, smirking at Rachel the entire time, decides that this would be the perfect time to break the "good news". Great, as if my high school friends didn't already hate me enough because they sided with Rachel when I cheated. Of course, strong determined Rachel stepped up to the plate. "Oh my goodness, Noah! That's so amazing. Sadie I'm so happy for you." she spoke. I could tell the smile on her face was fake, but that was because I could read her like an open book. Sadie smiled as they hugged as if she never slept with her boyfriend of 3 solid years in front of her. It was as if the fact that Rachel was "OK", the others felt the need to step up. Let's face it, Rachel was always the strongest of all of them. I always knew she would make it. As Rachel leans in to hug me, I see her bite her lip. Now I can tell, this is her wonderful acting skills, not her true feelings. She only bites her lips when she's trying really hard at something. This is a bad sign.

**Santana's Point of View**

Rachel and I are best friends. Puck and Rachel are ex's. If anyone can read her, it's us two. And the moment we look at each other we can tell. I decide to change the subject. Before I even get the chance, we get the first ounce of luck of the night. We hear the DJ call out, "And now we're going to play a new song that you probably haven't heard. The only reason we have this CD is because the singer/songwriter is here with us tonight, and her friend was so generous as to give it to us. Give it up for Rachel Berry guys!" The crowd goes wild, and Rachel looks at me with the death glare, but I can see a hint of thanks in it, and I can tell she's not mad at all because she really wants Sadie to hear this song. We both know this bitch could use a wake-up call, and this was the perfect opportunity. "Oh wow, Rachel I didn't know that you write songs! That's so cool!" Tina says. "Well they're not going to be released until 1 month from now, but of course I trusted Santana with one", Rachel says while playfully glaring at me. I can tell she's faking so I start cracking up, and Rachel, being the good sport she is, joined me. Soon the entire table was laughing, that was until the song turned on.


	5. Better Than Revenge

**Chapter5: Better Than Revenge**

**Rachel's Point of View:**

Santana and I take a good long look at each other before cracking up because we both know exactly what song is about to play in front of Sadie, and let's be honest, she totally deserves a little bit of what she dishes out. Well just follow the saying that her "fiancé" used to tell me, revenge is a bitch, isn't it. And then the song comes on, and Santana throws an evil smile my way before we shut up so that they can hear the song.

_"Now go stand in the corner and think about what you did"_

_The story starts when it was hot and it was summer and… I had it all, I had him right where I wanted him_

_She came along, got him alone and let's hear the applause. She took him faster than you could say "sabotage"_

Soon Brittany and Tina are both in on the joke and are cracking up trying not to look at Sadie. Puck looks down, and I realize that he knows exactly what is going on

_I never saw it coming, wouldn't have suspected it. I underestimated just who I was dealing with. She had to know the pain was beating on me like a drum. She underestimated just who she was stealing from_

I looked over at Sam, my favorite brother, and I knew that he was doing everything he could not to crack up. I could see that guilty smile that he always got when he knew something not everyone did. This night might turn out better than she though it would. Score 1 for Rachel

_She's not a saint, and she's not what you think, she's an actress, whoa she's better known for the things that she does on the mattress, whoa soon she's gonna find stealing other people's toys on the playground won't make you many friends_

_She should keep in mind, she should keep in mind there is nothing I do better than revenge_

By now, everyone's caught on, including Sadie. During the blank notes in between the chorus and second verse, she glares up at me, "is that so?" she interrogates, but I'm not even mad right now, I think being tipsy helps, but the pure look of annoyance on her face is priceless right now, and I'll never forget it.

_She looks at life like it's a party and she's on the list, she looks at me like I'm a trend and she's so over it. I think her ever-present frown is a little troubling_

_And she thinks I'm psycho 'cause I like to rhyme her name with things_

_But sophistication isn't what you wear or who you know, or pushing people down it gets you where you wanna go. They wouldn't teach you that in prep school so it's up to me, but no amount of vintage dresses gives you dignity_

Puck still has his head in his hand and Sadie is giving him a look like stand up for me, but I know exactly what he's thinking. He's thinking, this is exactly what you did Sadie, and I know he feels every ounce of heartbreak right now.

_She's not a saint, and she's not what you think, she's an actress, whoa she's better known for the things that she does on the mattress, whoa soon she's gonna find stealing other people's toys on the playground won't make you many friends_

_She should keep in mind, she should keep in mind there is nothing I do better than revenge_

_I'm just another thing for you to roll your eyes at, honey you might have him but haven't you heard I'm just another thing for you to roll your eyes at, honey_

_You might have him but I always get the last word. Whoa_

She's not a saint, and she's not what you think, she's an actress, whoa! She's better known for the things that she does on the mattress, whoa soon she's gonna find stealing other people's toys on the playground won't make you many friends

She should keep in mind, she should keep in mind there is nothing I do better than revenge

I can't wait for another song to play because I kind of want Sadie to stop giving me the death glare. I know she's gonna ask me why I wrote the song, and I have to figure out my response… like right now

_Do you still feel like you know what you're doing? 'Cause I don't think you do. Oh._

_Do you still feel like you know what you're doing? I don't think you do. I don't think you do. Let's hear the applause. Come on show me how much better you are (so much better, yeah). So you deserve some applause 'cause you're so much better. She took him faster than you could say "sabotage"_

The second the song ends, all of the laughter stops. We all know what is coming, but I still think that song was completely worth it. "So, Rachie", Sadie says like the ass-kisser she is, "why'd you write that song. Personal experience?" I can't say that I'm proud of what I'm about to say, but it's not like I'm lying or anything. "I wrote that song about a bitch that slept with a boyfriend of mine" and the entire table goes quiet. "Santana, I need to use the restroom, would you care to join me", I say trying got hold in my laughter until I get there. "Of course Rachie" she says mocking Sadie's tone knowing only a few people can get away with saying that and she's one of them. We head off to the bathroom leaving the table dead silent with every single mouth shocked and open as wide as they would go, and I couldn't be happier with myself.


	6. Through Different Eyes

**Chapter 6: Through Different Eyes**

**Sam's Point of View:**

"I wrote that song about a bitch who slept with a boyfriend of mine", says my sister Rachel staring at the girl she is obviously talking about, and the man on her arm, but I don't think of him as a man anymore. I thought I remembered liking Rachel for a reason I think to myself, letting a small smile escape my lips as Rachel excuses herself with Santana. "So Puck, what did you think about the game last night?" I say with the same smile. When he doesn't respond I add, "I thought it was great… little low on cheating bitches, but still good entertainment." I said. I knew I was pushing my boundaries, but Puck had no right to come after me or Rachel and he knew it all too well. "Yeah, the game was great. I watched it with Sadie. Sadie wasn't it good?" Puck responds with half a heart. Sadie smirks, happy the conversation has been passed on to her and replies smugly, "Of course sweetie! It's so fun to watch the games with you, but I liked what we did afterwards better she said, and I was ready to punch a girl which I had never done before in my life! But then I realized Rachel would probably want to do that herself.

**Rachel's Point of View:**

The second Santana and I step into the bathroom, we start laughing hysterically. We try to talk, but then realize we just need to laugh for a little while longer to get rid of the pain we have underneath. When finally cooled down I say, "You know, I think that the best part about this whole thing is that she's going to have to hear that song every time she's in the car with Puck and it comes on the radio because we both know he won't switch it!". They laugh more and then go back outside, feeling as though they should probably be there to defend their honors… they are probably getting pushed around by Sadie. Rachel decides not to let go tonight, so she only has two beers, but Santana is the opposite, and by the end of the night, she is hammered along with Brittany, Tina, Mike, Finn, and, of course, Sadie. We head home to Brittany's house, where Santana and I are staying, to finish the small talk that we had initiated. Rachel still thought the night would end well, boy was she wrong.


	7. Drunken Secrets

**Chapter 7: Drunken Secrets**

**Rachel's Point of View:**

The night was going really well. Everything was taken care of and everyone was about to head home. I was glad that Santana and I are crashing here with Brittany because I don't know how I could get Santana somewhere else in her state. Then everything changes as she see's her beautiful 5 year old girl run into the room in her pajamas. It was then when her world turned upside-down.

**Puck's Point of View:**

Sadie and I were about to leave and go home, when we heard a noise. And then I saw her. I knew immediately that she was mine because of the way she looked and it was even more obvious that it was Rachel's. I never thought that right then and there I would be staring my 5-year old daughter in the eyes, but, little did she know, that was exactly what was happening. And that's when I lost it.

"Who is this Rachel?" I said at first keeping my voice down to make sure my theory was correct. Rachel took a deep breath, about to tell me something when Santana stole her thunder. "This is Caroline, Rachel's daughter. Isn't she so cute?". Before I can say anything to her, Quinn steps up. "Here Rachel, why don't I take Caroline back to bed while you deal with some business? Would that be OK?". Rachel nodded, only half concentrating on what Quinn was saying. "Yeah thanks Quinn", she responded half-heartedly. "Who's the father?" I asked, and when she didn't respond, I asked again, "Who's the father, Rachel?". Rachel looked on the point of tears, but I stood my ground. "You know good and well who the god-damned father is, Noah". Even though I realize there are much more important things going on, I notice she called me Noah for the first time since high school. It cools me down a little bit, but not enough, definitely NOT ENOUGH. "Were you even going to tell that I had a daughter for five years and I didn't even know?" I screamed, not used to having to think about a child trying to sleep in the same home as me. "You didn't deserve to know Noah. I wasn't about to let you be in her life, and I knew that's what you would've wanted. So I did it on my own with the help of some other friends along the way." she yelled back. Her volume was lower, but her tone was just as harsh as mine had been, "I had every right to be part of my daughter's life!" I say in the same volume Rachel had used. "Noah, you know fucking well that that is bullshit. You left me for that!", she says pointing to Sadie who is too shocked to even look offended, "I was going to tell you that night, but the sex groans and what I saw inside you room said plenty about your feelings on being a father. You had absolutely no right to your child and that's exactly what I gave you. I did what was best for her and for me. You didn't even come into the equation!". Her words stung, more than they ever have before. As much as I miss having Rachel on my side, I have Sadie now, and with that, I walk out of the door, leaving Rachel crying in her protective older brother's strong arms. I'd like to say that I was proud of myself for standing up for myself, but I just feel like a dick for making her cry.

**Rachel's Point of View:**

As I watch him walk out the door I lose it. There is no anger in my sobs like when I cried for him before, only sadness, and I turn to the one place on Earth when I feel completely safe, Sammy's strong arms where he holds me until I've cried myself to sleep, and even then I can't be peaceful with grief hanging over my head even in my nightmares.


	8. My HeroJust Like High School

**Puck's Point of View:**

I got out of my truck. I was going on a walk by myself. Sadie and I usually went on "romantic strolls" as she liked to call them. It usually started with us holding hands, walking through the park talking. We would gradually make our way to the clearing where only we knew and other things would go down, but today I needed time to think, alone. I had so many memories here of my girlfriends, and this is my favorite place in the entire world. But when I had a flashback, out of all the memories that this place triggered, today it wasn't of his smokin' girlfriend, Sadie, but of his high school sweetheart, Rachel Berry.

_"Puck what are you doing?" Rachel questioned. She had never been one to like surprises, so when I took her down the park into our clearing with my guitar case, she was on edge. "You'll see, just be patient! I know you'll love it!", he chuckled to himself as he thought about his girlfriend EVER being patient. She knew exactly what he was thinking and they cracked up. They had known each other so well. Once they finally made it to the clearing, Puck pulled out his guitar and began to sing._

I walked across an empty land

I knew the pathway like the back of my hand

I felt the earth beneath my feet

Sat by the river and it made me complete

Oh simple thing, where have you gone?

I'm getting old and I need something to rely on

So tell me when you're gonna let me in

I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin

I came across a fallen tree

I felt the branches of it looking at me

Is this the place we used to love?

Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?

Oh simple thing, where have you gone?

I'm getting old and I need something to rely on

So tell me when you're gonna let me in

I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin

And if you have a minute, why don't we go

Talk about it somewhere only we know?

This could be the end of everything

So why don't we go somewhere only we know?

Somewhere only we know

Oh simple thing, where have you gone?

I'm getting old and I need something to rely on

So tell me when you're gonna let me in

I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin

And if you have a minute, why don't we go

Talk about it somewhere only we know?

This could be the end of everything

So why don't we go? So why don't we go?

Oh, this could be the end of everything

So why don't we go somewhere only we know?

Somewhere only we know

Somewhere only we know

_During the song, he had begun to dance with Rachel while playing his guitar. She was laughing and he was happy, like he usually was when he was around Rachel. When he finished serenading his beautiful girlfriend, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring. Seeing her face light up made the endless hours working in the tire shop to pay for the small diamond completely worth it. He bent down on one knee and said, "Rachel, my love, you have no idea how hard I've fallen. I'm head over heels with you, and there's no going back now. I hope you know that I have never been in love before I met you, which means you must really me something special." Looking up into those big, caramel eyes and her thousand-watt-Broadway-better-look-out smile, he got the strength to continue, "and if I didn't take the opportunity to spend the rest of my life with you, I would never be able to live with myself. But I also know that we're in High School, so I'm not going to propose, don't worry. This ring is to symbolize my promise to you to always be truthful, and pure, and never pressure you to do anything, and just to make sure I wouldn't screw it up, I had Rabi Jacob bless it for us." Rachel gasps as I slip the ring onto her finger smiling the entire time as I reach down to kiss her soft, smooth hand, thinking all the while, this is love, there's no way around it._

But a small tug on his shirt ripped Puck out of his sweet fantasy. He looked down to see Caroline. She pulled on her sleeve, motioning for her to follow him through the woods. He grabbed her hand as she started running as fast as she could. He had no idea what was going, but he had a feeling something was wrong, probably involving Rachel. When they reached her they saw her lying on the floor with an old "friend " of mine. Karofsky was trying to rape her. I ran as fast as I could thanking God in my head for making my daughter so damn smart. I wanted to kill Karofsky. I pulled him off of Rachel a knocked him out with a punch that sent him into the tree. I pointed to my car and looked at Rachel sternly, "Now!" I said firmly, causing her to follow, Caroline still holding desperately tightly to my hand. I picked her up, "It's OK baby girl, daddy got the bad guy and mommy's gonna be OK, I promise". He placed Caroline in Rachel's lap while replacing his reassuring face with a quite stern one. They drove in silence to Brittany's house where he said, "Take her inside and get back inside of the car, quickly!" eh said quietly and firmly. Rachel dried her tears and walked into her friend's home.

**Rachel's POV:**

I dried my tears and walked out of the car, taking Caroline with me. It was hard to resist Puck when his tone was so damn harsh. I quickly opened the door to a laughing Santana and Brittany. I ask them to watch Caroline and ignore their questions about where I'm going, trying to get this over with. I take a deep breath as I open the door to Puck's truck, knowing that when Noah gets mad, it's best to stay out of his warpath.

**Noah's POV:**

Rachel takes a deep breath and sits back in her former seat in my car. I know she can tell I'm fuming and that the only reason I haven't blown up is a combination of Caroline being in the car and the fact that she almost just got fricken raped by Karofsky. I follow her example and deeply inhale and exhale shortly afterwards. "We need to talk"


	9. Author's Note: PLEASE READ

**Note to My Readers: Hey guys, it's me, the author, Caroline. Just had a few things on my mind that I should tell you guys:**

**Thank you so much for reading my stories, I work really hard on them and this is my first. I really hope you guys like it because this is all new to me.**

**I'm going away for the weekend so I won't be able to post for a while. I only posted 8 in one day to get you guys hooked and see if people actually liked it. If you like my stories I'm really thankful, but that leads me to my next concern:**

**Leave comments PLEASE: guys, I'm not sure I'm gonna post anything else until I get 10 comments on my story. It really isn't that hard to leave a comment, so I hope you all care enough to leave one. You can tell me:**

**What you liked**

**What you didn't like**

**Things to add**

**Couples you want to see**

**Do you want to see Britanna?**

**Do you guys have any other couples you would like to see in other stories that I might write (I have a few ideas)?**

**Other concerns/suggestions**

**I really love writing these stories, but it would be 10 times easier and faster if I had a staff to help me with ideas/editing. If you're interested, leave me a note and I will send you an invite to join my community (Gleeks101). Thanks so much for doing that guys.**

**Anyways guys, thanks again for reading my stories, it means so much to me, and I really hope you guys like it! I hope I'll be able to post then, until then Happy Late Valentine's Day. **

**Thanks from **_**Your Favorite Author**_**,**

**Caroline**


	10. We Need to Talk

**Chapter 8: We Need to Talk**

**Hey guys! I know I said I wouldn't write until I got enough review, but there could be some people who are too lazy who are reading it or don't have an account and can't, right? Oh, god! Now I'm trying to convince myself that people actually like my stories. Uh-oh, that can't be good. Anyways, I couldn't resist, and I also didn't want to be the annoying writer who makes everyone review her stories before making more. So here you go:**

**Puck's POV: In the Car**

To be honest, I'm really scared right now. I've never been really good at talks or being gentle, and I'm gonna have to do both seeing as though Rachel has a secret daughter and she almost just got raped. Anyways, here goes nothing.

"How could you not tell me, Rachie?" I say in the calmest tone I can manage because I know she's fragile. I add the Rachie on the end because that's what I used to call her and I can't seem to stop it. Truth is, I still think of her as the girl she was in HS. She's exactly the same except for the fact that she has lost the glow in her eyes that she used to have. That glow would make me want to kiss her, and sleep with her, and laugh out of pure joy all at the same time, and even though she doesn't have it anymore, I'm pretty sure she could manage that still.

**Rachel's POV: In the Car**

He called me Rachie. I can't help the tears that start to stream my already tear-stained cheeks. "I-I couldn't, you cheated, and I l-lost all of my trust in you. I-if you c-couldn't even maintain a h-healthy r-relationship, how c-could you raise a child at 18. I was t-too heartbroken to even talk t-to you anyways. I mean c-can you even imagine walking into your boyfriend of 3 years' bedroom to **surprise him**, only to find him having **sex **with a girl who must've been prettier than you were. I-I just couldn't, Puck" I responded, getting a little less calm than Puck had been.

"Stop calling me that!", Noah blurted out. "Why", I asked coldly, "that's what everyone else calls you?" I responded, cringing at the fact that I loved Noah, not Puck.

"Not YOU! You never called me that Rachie! You were one of the few people I ever let call me that, and now you won't even use the privilege! What's gotten into you Rachie?" he screamed, completely loosing sight of the calm and collected side of him I had been staring at about 2 seconds ago.

"Stop calling ME that!" I screamed, taking Noah by surprise, "I don't call you Noah anymore because that's not who you are! I fell in love with Noah! He was the guy who bought me grape slushies' everyday, and wouldn't let one ever be thrown at me, but Puck, that's not who you are NOW! You don't deserve to be called Noah. Puck is who you are acting like. Puck's the kind of guy who would get into any girl's pants possible, no matter the circumstances, throwing whatever is worse than slushies', PAIN! You lost your right to be called Noah a long time ago!" I responded coldly, leaving a more than shocked Puck/Noah.

"Rachie, I-I, I want to be a part of Caroline's life!" he said, shocking me even more than he had just been. "What in hell makes you think that you can just waltz right into you 3-year old daughters' life after all of those years being filled with me working day and night to bring in enough money for her food, diapers, and toys? Not to mention the fact that I am living in New York, despite the fact that even though I see people doing it every day, I can't live the dream like I always wanted because I had a DAUGHTER to take care of. You must be fucking crazy because that is the most bull-shit I have heard in my life. And I asked you NOT to call me that!" I responded. A part of me felt guilty, like I should at least give him a shot, but I couldn't bring myself to do that after thinking about what he did to us.

"You know, she looks just like you." he said, partially startling me out of my anger. "Y-you think so?" I asked stuttering after hearing what he had to say.

"Of course, who else could have made a baby girl as beautiful as that. Of course, she has her father's charm!" he said grinning. I giggled nudging him, trying to be serious, but how could I? He knew exactly how to make me laugh, at even the hardest moments.

"Noah, I can't, OK? I just can't have you come over knowing that you are going home to the same girl that you cheated on me with." I stated calmly before getting out of the car, only to embrace the 5 minute walk home in tears, breaking my own heart.

**P.S. Thanks so much for reviewing, those of you who did. I try to thank everyone personally, but I'd like to send you guys a special thank you because you all are TOTALLY awesome! The next one should be coming out soon, keep in mind that I have 2 WIP's and 1 story that I will probably start writing soon. Hope you enjoyed **

**3 cbell123**


	11. AN: PLEASE READ

**Hey guys! Sorry if you were hoping this is a chapter, but it isn't. I know I haven't written in a really long time, but I will have at least 2 chapters posted in the next 2 weeks, and from then on, I will post at least 1-2 a week (or try to). See I have this other story that I write, **_**To Be Loved, **_**and it has been my top priority for a while because it only has 6 chapters and this has like 9, but now I am turning back to **_**Holding Grudges**_**. Please review this if you actually stayed tuned, thanks guys Please keep reading, I won't keep you waiting for much longer, I'm writing the next chapter like right now! Thanks a million**

**cbell123**


	12. Lost Your Balance on a Tight Rope

**Chapter 10: Lost Your Balance on a Tightrope**

**Hey guys! This girl has come out of writers block and into hell yeah I'm finally posting! Here is my story**

**Puck's POV: At his house**

As I walked out of my house at a brisk pace, a tear rolled down my cheek. I didn't cry, but this was an exception… you would cry too.

_I walked up the steps to the front porch of my beautiful home. I remember being so excited to get it. I was home early from a business trip that I had been on for three days. I hadn't told Sadie yet because I was going to surprise her. Funny, I didn't know that I was really the one who would get the surprise._

I hopped in my car and drove to the only place I had thought to go, Santana's. Rachel was still there, and she was the only one who actually knows what I'm going through. It's so ironic that I was the one who put her through that, and now I was going to her for comfort, something I did NOT deserve at all. However, I was still trying.

_I called up to her, but she didn't answer. She probably had the TV on full blast while she was watching her beloved soap operas. I thought it was funny at the time, but I wouldn't be laughing later._

I stepped out of my car and took slow steps, slowly making my way to the door of Santana's large house that she shared with her girlfriend Brittany. I had to get to her, only she would know what to say.

_A few steps away from our room was where I first heard it. The unmistakable noises of sex; I would know. I shouldn't have opened the door, but I had to know._

I wiped a tear with my sleeve, and gained the courage I needed to knock on the door before just opening it myself. I needed to see her. I walked up to the room she was staying in and knocked on the door. No matter what I thought of, I couldn't get the flashbacks from my mind.

_I should have run while I still could, but instead, I chose to open a whole new door for myself (literally). I slowly opened the door afraid of what I might see, turned out, I had the right to not want to see the seen before me. My fiancé, Sadie soon-to-be-Puckerman, was moaning at the touch of none other than my ex-best friend from high school, Finn Hudson._

She opened the door to her room, obviously shocked to see me in a state that she had seen me in once in the 3 years that we had dated. "Holy shit, what happened?" she questioned as she pulled me into one of her famous bear hugs. This was a big deal, Rachel Berry, she didn't cuss...like EVER. Her question brought back another few horrible minutes from my far from wonderful night.

_"Fuck!" I said before I even thought. "Fuck her all you want. I don't want my slut anymore. Take whatever whores you can manage Frankenteen." I said calling him by the nickname Santana used for him in high school while he was bitching around. "Just take my seconds. You can even reuse the ring, your probably still too cheap to get a job, just like when you "thought" you were a Baby Daddy. As for you Sadie, I should've remembered when I proposed that I don't date hoes, much less marry them, my bad. I could tell my words stung and that I had ruined their sex for the night, but they can bang all they want now. Even though at first I had been bitter, it soon turned to sadness and hopelessness. _

"Fuck him. He can have a slut if that's what he wants" I said, answering Rachel's question through my foul mumbling. "It's like déjà vu reversed" she whispered in response.

But as I had assumed, Rachel knew exactly how to get over a heartbreak. She pulled me into her little arms and held me while I cried, and then, unexpectedly, she started to sing

_I guess you really did it this time  
>Left yourself in your warpath<br>Lost your balance on a tightrope  
>Lost your mind tryin' to get it back<br>_

It was hard to miss the tears in her eyes as they started to stream down her face. I knew exactly what she was singing. She had obviously written the song about me, and it was so perfect for the situation. Now that I finally knew how it felt for her, I was just another innocent person who had been forgiven.

_Wasn't it easier in your lunchbox days?  
>Always a bigger bed to crawl into<br>Wasn't it beautiful when you believed in everything  
>And everybody believed in you?<br>_

The tears started to stream harder, and I held her in my arms as she belted out the words to her soft-spoken self-written song made for this moment right now.

_It's alright, just wait and see  
>Your string of lights is still bright to me<br>Oh, who you are is not where you've been.  
>You're still an innocent,<br>You're still an innocent._

_Did some things you can't speak of  
>But at night you live it all again<br>You wouldn't be shattered on the floor now  
>If only you would seen what you know now then<em>

_Wasn't it easier in your firefly-catchin' days?  
>When everything out of reach, someone bigger brought down to you<br>Wasn't it beautiful runnin' wild 'til you fell asleep  
>Before the monsters caught up to you?<br>_

Even though the tears came faster and faster, her voice remained completely full and untouched.

_It's alright, just wait and see  
>Your string of lights is still bright to me<br>Oh, who you are is not where you've been  
>You're still an innocent<br>It's okay, life is a tough crowd  
>32, and still growin' up now<br>Who you are is not what you did.  
>You're still an innocent.<em>

_Time turns flames to embers  
>You'll have new Septembers<br>Every one of us has messed up too  
>Lives change like the weather<br>I hope you remember  
>Today is never too late to be brand new<em>

_It's alright, just wait and see  
>Your string of lights is still bright to me<br>Oh, who you are is not where you've been  
>You're still an innocent.<br>It's okay, life is a tough crowd  
>32, and still growin' up now<br>Who you are is not what you did  
>You're still an innocent.<br>You're still an innocent._

_Lost your balance on a tightrope.  
>It's never too late to get it back.<em>

And with the end of the song, she fell asleep in my arms. I carried her to the bed and tucked her in. I couldn't help but think that it should be like this every night. I wrapped my arms back around her small frame after crawling into the bed with her. Our relationship was so simple. I could be completely satisfied with just sleeping next to her. God, I think I'm in love with my high school sweetheart.

**There it is. I used my super awesome ninja skills to write this. More is coming soon. Maybe a new chapter tomorrow, not really sure. Stay tuned. I would like at least 5 reviews on this chapter. Thanks for reviewing, it means a ton. Hope you liked it **


	13. Help Me Understand

**Hey guys! I****'****m so sorry I haven****'****t written lately, but I had exams, cheer tryouts, painting the house, my birthday, and a million other things. I feel awful for not updating, so I****'****m writing right now! I hope you like it**

**Chapter 11: Help Me Understand**

**Puck****'****s POV: The Next Morning**

While she fell asleep in my arms, I sang to her. In high school, she used to always beg me to sing for her all of the time. She loved my voice and I loved hers. They were both special parts of us. So, now seemed as good of a time to sing this song as ever.

_Once in a lifetime_

_You__'__ll open up your heart_

_Baby once in your lifetime_

_You swear to never be apart_

_You think your love__'__s on solid ground_

_And out of the blue it all comes tumblin__'__ down_

_Who__'__s gonna hold me tonight_

_When I__'__m feeling lonely_

_Who__'__s gonna show me the light_

_Cause I need to know_

_With all the things we got_

_How can love just stop_

_Tell me, somebody_

_Help me understand_

_And my picture_

_In your locker_

_What will you do with it now_

_All our friends_

_And all our memories_

_Tell me how we sort them out_

_What__'__s yours is yours_

_What__'__s mine is mine_

_Is that all that__'__s left_

_After all this time_

_Who__'__s gonna hold me tonight_

_When I__'__m feeling lonely_

_Who__'__s gonna show me the light_

_Cause I need to know_

_With all the things we got_

_How can love just stop_

_Tell me, somebody_

_Help me understand_

_Why I__'__m not a part of your plan_

_And you don__'__t need me anymore_

_Help me understand_

_Why I still wanna be where you are_

_Even though I know in my heart_

_That you don__'__t love me anymore_

_Who__'__s gonna hold me tonight_

_When I__'__m feeling lonely_

_Who__'__s gonna show me the light_

_Cause I need to know_

_With all the things we got_

_How can love just stop_

_Tell me, somebody_

_Help me understand_

She looked up at me with so much regret, and then drifted to sleep in my arms. Like she was the one that felt bad for me. I gave her a look to rival her own before drifting off myself into a deep slumber

I woke up, and for the first time since high school, I was happy. Not just happy. Like nothing could ruin my joy, not even the thought of Finn and Sadie having…anyways, like I said, I'm really happy. I should probably tell you why I'm so happy. I just woke up holding the love of my life in my arms. Yes, another part of it is the smell of pancakes cooking downstairs, but most of it is the fact that I woke up, and that feeling that something is missing…well, it wasn't there. That's why I wake up with a smile on my face for the first time since Rachel left my house that night.

I feel Rachel stir, and a part of me wants her to be asleep so that I can just hold her in my arms forever. But the rest of me wants to wake up to see what surprises this new Rachel will bring. I can still read her like a book (a picture book of course), but she's different, I can tell.

It might have something to do with the fact that she carried my fucking kid for 9 months without a man to help her around…if that doesn't make me feel like an ass, I must really be much worse than that. I guess I already am.

But I feel like I'm seeing the world through new eyes now. I finally understand what it's like to be cheated on, and I finally know what I need to do to get Rachel back…because that's what I've wanted for years. I never got over her, yes that does make me sound like a douchebag who wears polo shirts, but I don't even care.

Back to real life though, I look down and see Rachel waking up, so I start to sing.

_The strands in your eyes_

_The color them wonderful_

_Stop me and steal my breath_

_And emeralds from mountains_

_Thrust towards the sky_

_Never revealing their depth_

_And tell me that we belong together_

_Dress it out with the trappings of love_

_I__'__ll be captivated_

_I__'__ll hang from your lips_

_Instead of the gallows of heartache _

_That hang from above_

_And I__'__ll be your crying shoulder_

_I__'__ll be love suicide_

_I__'__ll be better when I__'__m older_

_I__'__ll be the greatest fan of your life_

_And rain falls_

_Angry on the tin roof_

_As we lie awake in my bed_

_And your my survival_

_You__'__re my living proof_

_My love is alive and not dead_

_And tell me that we belong together_

_Dress it out with the trappings of love_

_I__'__ll be captivated_

_I__'__ll hang from your lips_

_Instead of the gallows of heartache_

_That hang from above_

_And I__'__ll be_

_Your crying shoulder_

_I__'__ll be love suicide_

_I__'__ll be better when I__'__m older_

_And I__'__ll be the greatest fan of your life_

_And I dropped out_

_I burned up_

_I found my way back from the dead_

_I tuned in I turned on_

_Remember the thing that you said_

_And I__'__ll be your crying shoulder_

_I__'__ll be love suicide_

_I__'__ll be better when I__'__m older_

_I__'__ll be the greatest fan of you_

_I__'__ll be your crying shoulder_

_I__'__ll be love suicide_

_I__'__ll be better when I__'__m older_

_I__'__ll be the greatest fan of your life_

_The greatest fan of your life_

Rachel had woken up and looked at him with that look. The light in her eyes was back, even if only for a second before she pulled away and said, "I'd better go check on Santana, she's probably still nursing a hangover from last night". She walked away quickly.

**Santana****'****s POV: Downstairs**

"Oh, I guess you don't have a hangover, I couldn't remember if you did or not" Rachel said weakly. Remember how I said I could read her like a book, well she has to know that I can tell she wanted to get away from her room which just so happens to have her ex-boyfriend of 3 years and her daughter's father in it. Hmmm, _I wonder why she thought I had a hangover_.

"Okay Rachie, spill it!" I said, not looking up from the pancakes I was flipping. "Spill what, what is there to spill. I mean don't just assume that things happen in my very boring life. I can assure you that-" she rambled on. "Shut up!, let me speak!" I said, stopping her long enough so that she could get a breath in between words.

"I know that Puck was here last night. I opened the door for him. What the hell is going on? I haven't seen Puck in tears since his fucking father left him. Something's up. I can read both of you, you know. You're my best friend and he's my brother, well basically. I'm not an idiot you know!"

"Actually I do know that you aren't an idiot Mrs. Law School. I know for a fact that you are a freaking genius. When are we going back to New York anyways, don't you have to be back soon for school?" She said reassuringly, but also trying to change the subject.

"Stop trying to change the subject! You obviously need someone to talk to, and my ears work pretty well…just in case you were wondering!" I said seeming annoyed, but Rachel could tell that I was being sympathetic on the inside…deep on the inside.

"I still love him" Rachel blurted out before she could stop herself. She covered her mouth and widened her eyes, but I just smiled, knowing what she was feeling.

"Oh come on, stop acting like you killed a puppy. I knew it was just a matter of time with you guys." I said, causing her to roll her eyes. But then in a more serious voice I said, "Look, I'm really happy for you. I think you should just play it by ear. And you should maybe think about letting him meet-" "Mommy!". I was interrupted by little Caroline walking in the room. She was so adorable. I just needed her to be okay and I didn't think that I could live with myself if Puck would leave. But I know for a fact that he won't.

"Speak of the little angel. There she is. Hey Caroline!" I said, greeting my favorite little person. "Morning sweetheart!" Rachel said, her face instantly lighting up as she saw her daughter. I wonder if I'll ever have that with a child of mine. I sure hope that it's with Brittany. _Wait is that even possible?_ Oh well.

"Lynny, do you want to watch some SpongeBob while I finish your pancakes?" I said, hoping to get her distracted so that I could continue my conversation with Rachel.

"Rachel, what happened last night?" I asked, completely in the dark of the most important turn of events that night.

"Um, well, Puck got home from his business trip last night, and he walked in on Sadie and Finn um having um-" she started to stumble at the end

"WHAT! SHE FRICKEN CHEATED ON HIM? WITH GIGANTOR?" I said completely upset that again Sadie would do that to someone. Then I came to my senses and realized that Puck had to be taking this pretty hard. "Oh my god, how is he taking it."

"He seems to be OK with it for the most part. He was devastated last night. He couldn't even form a sentence he was sobbing so hard." She said, just reinforcing what I already knew had to have happened with Puck.

"So…what did you do?" I asked carefully, not wanting to overstep any boundaries. "I sang to him. You know that song that I wrote, Innocent. It seemed perfect for that night, and something just washed over me. It felt like an epiphany, like the world was telling me, this is the man that was made for you, you know. And then it seemed like he had the same thought because he could tell that I was tired, so he tucked me into bed and held me and sang to me this song…um I think it was country…um Help me Understand maybe? Do you know that song?" I nodded my head. "The song just spoke about 'what happens now that we're over', and my heart was screaming 'love me, that's what you're supposed to do', but it'll never happen. He cheated on me, and I have to respect the fact that he doesn't love me anymore."

While she was talking, Puck walked in behind her. He had heard her entire speech, but she didn't know it.

"Actually Rachel, you should probably ask him because I'm pretty sure that the feeling's mutual between the two of you" said a voice from behind her, causing her to spin around, gasping when she saw the man standing in front fo her.

**Puck****'****s POV:**

I woke up to the sound of Santana screaming about my love life. I had fallen back asleep since Rachel had gone downstairs to "check on Santana". I mean who else would be downstairs making pancakes?

So, I walked downstairs to see what was going on when I heard Rachel talking, so I stopped walking and listened.

"So…what did you do?" Santana asked, almost as if she was pushing respectfully. "I sang to him. You know that song that I wrote, Innocent. It seemed perfect for that night, and something just washed over me. It felt like an epiphany, like the world was telling me, this is the man that was made for you, you know. And then it seemed like he had the same thought because he could tell that I was tired, so he tucked me into bed and held me and sang to me this song…um I think it was country…um Help me Understand maybe? Do you know that song?" Santana nodded her head, looking shocked at how romantic I could be. "The song just spoke about 'what happens now that we're over', and my heart was screaming 'love me, that's what you're supposed to do', but it'll never happen. He cheated on me, and I have to respect the fact that he doesn't love me anymore."

What? How could she think that? I love her more than anything in the world. I never stopped. I only cheated on her because I wanted her to be able to break up with me. I knew I would never make it in New York and that she might try to stay with me if I didn't come, so I did what I thought was best for both of us…I ended it in the easiest way I could think of.

"Actually Rachel, you should probably ask him because I'm pretty sure that the feeling's mutual between the two of you" I said, and I can't remember the last time I saw someone turn around so fast.

"Y-y-you love me?" she said, a wave of pleasure across her face almost went unseen by me, but then her face was replaced by hurt and confusion and anger. "Why did you cheat on me then Noah? I don't understand." She said to me with a look on her face saying please tell me a good reason.

"Because you were too good for me. I deserved some awful slut like Sadie. I didn't want to hold you back" I said, looking up from the ground and into her eyes, my calm voice surprising even me.

"W-what? Why would you think that? Why would you be holding me back?" she asked, the hurt replaced with genuine confusion. That was the thing I like about Rachel; everything about her was genuine. Our relationship had been built on honesty and trust.

"I didn't get into NYU. I wasn't going to go to New York. I didn't want you to stay with me because I thought you might." I said, my eyes finding the floor again.

"Y-y-you what? Why didn't you just tell me that? Why did you have to cheat on me?" she asked, the hurt and anger etched back onto her face. "I went through years of heartbreak and trying to get over you because you couldn't tell me the truth? Do you know that I cried for a month straight. Did you know that the only people I talked to the entire summer before college were Santana, Kurt, and Quinn. Did anyone tell you that I haven't come back to Lima, not once since the day I left, not even to visit my fathers, because I was afraid to face you." She said angrily, then her face turned softer "Did you know that I haven't been with a single person since you cheated?" she choked out every syllable, each one breaking my heart again and again and again.

My eyes met hers, and my face turned to shock. "I didn't think so", she said, "You were too busy with Sadie. You know what hurts the most about that?", she questioned me, "what hurts the most is the fact that even though you couldn't stay committed to me, you could stay committed to the school slut which meant that even though she was awful and terrible and everything bad, I still wasn't even better than her in your eyes."

She ran into her room in tears, and I couldn't believe what she had just told me.

**Okay guys, that was it. Their big scene since he got back. That****'****s the reason that Puck cheated. He didn****'****t get into NYU college, so he couldn****'****t follow Rachel out. They are going to have a slow journey to each other, so be patient with me okay? Any questions, feedback and/or comments, please PM me OR leave a review. I will not write the next chapter until I have at least 10 reviews. I really don****'****t want to be **_**that**_** writer, but I have to know that someone is actually reading this, and it****'****s not just going to waste. Thanks again my lovely readers. Until next time! **

**Ta-ta for now, **

**Caroline **


	14. A Change in Plans

**Hey guys, I****'****m back. Kinda soon, I know, but I think that after this chapter I****'****m going to put this story on hiatus for a little while. I will be out of town for a majority of the summer, and I won****'****t have a computer with me for a long time. I may write one or two chapters this summer, but other than that I won****'****t be writing. That is why I****'****m going to try to post another chapter today and maybe even two if I can finish them that fast. I know that I said that I was waiting for reviews, but I can****'****t because I won****'****t have a computer for a while, so I had to post this know. This should be mostly an informative chapter, but there****'****s a surprise at the end that I hope you like. Enjoy **

**Chapter 12: A Change in Plans**

**Rachel****'****s POV: The Next Morning**

I have to go back to New York. I've been hanging out with Brittany a lot lately. She's been cheering me up from the heartbreaker that is Noah. I just don't know what to do. I mean, yes, he was just trying to help, but it hurt so much. I don't understand why he couldn't have just told me that he didn't love me. He had to get sex out of it to. And it's not like I hadn't been giving him exactly what he wanted wither…trust me…we had been horizontal more than vertical. Those were the days.

I know that Puck wants to become a father figure for Caroline, but I just don't know how that's going to happen for us. I'm in the middle of my senior year at NYADA, and from then I'm going on Broadway. There's no other city for me…at all. New York has been my dream for forever, and I'm not going to give up for _him_. Even if he is the love of my life.

"Santana, when are we leaving to go back home?" I asked innocently. We were in the car with Brittany, Quinn, Sam, Artie, and Tina. The rest of the group would be catching their own rides to the bar that we were hanging out in this weekend. We were trying to spend as much time with each other before we parted our own ways and left.

Santana, Kurt and I would go back to New York. We were rooming together. She was getting her degree in performing, and she was minoring in writing. She wanted to make it as a singer-songwriter, so she was starting at NYU. I would go back to NYADA and finish my senior year with her. Kurt had given up on Broadway when he hadn't gotten into NYADA the first year. He realized that his true passion is not the stage that he is standing on, but what he is wearing while he is standing on that stage. He is attending Parsons. Since he took one year off to "find himself" when he didn't get accepted into NYADA, he's only in his junior year.

Mercedes would be heading off back to LA. She had received a contract from a YouTube video that her boyfriend Shane had posted of her. Tina would be following Mercedes to LA. She only had a contract as backup, but she had been a year behind us in school therefore has had less time to find her place in the world.

Mike would be attending a branch of Geoffrey in California so that he could be with Tina and Mercedes. Brittany had been accepted into Julliard on full scholarship for her dancing skills. They had been looking out for the day she graduated since they first saw her in cheerleading, and then again at the Regionals competition that she and Mike had performed at. She was rooming with Sannie and I in a nice apartment. (San's parents felt guilty for not realizing she rode the rainbow, so they paid for the entire thing including furniture and appliances.)

Artie had started a job as a sales clerk at AT&T, and he was now the CEO of the entire company. He had settled down with a woman that he had met named Molly. Molly was also disabled. They understood each other and had clicked instantly. Puck, obviously, was still ere in Lima. He worked for a travel agency. He had gone to Ohio State on a partial football scholarship, and even though his dream was to be a singer-songwriter like Santana, he had been persuaded by Sadie to settle down in Lima and get a job that he hated.

Sam was playing football for NYU while rooming with his long-term girlfriend Quinn. They had patched up their differences when he had come home from Tennessee after he told her to hold on to sixteen as long as she could. She had understood that underneath the guy that she thought he was for dating her because she was popular was a guy that truly cared. Sam had come to find that even though she was head cheerleader and extremely popular, she still had flaws. He had felt like he couldn't get close to her because she would think that he had too many flaws when she had none. They became the perfect couple, and were planning on getting married right after they both graduated. While Sam attended NYU, Quinn studying fashion design alongside Kurt at Parsons, and I couldn't be happier for my brother and his beautiful sister-in-law whom I had finally befriended in my senior year of high school.

Blaine had followed me to NYADA right after he had graduated. There he roomed with Kurt, whom everyone knew was his soul mate. Everyone was happy except for Noah. He couldn't even come to the city he so wanted to be in right now. His career, his girl (hopefully), and his child were waiting for him there. Until now. Now that Sadie was gone he could leave if he wanted to.

I really need to talk to him about that tonight. I guess now is as good of a time as any. I texted Santana because she was sitting shotgun and I was in the backseat.

_Hey Satan, is Puck coming tonight?_

_Yep__…__got something special planned Rachie? ;)_

_No, but we__'__re going back soon, and I feel like he deserves to meet his daughter, so I was going to talk to him_

_Oh__…__good luck, you can do it__…__I__'__ll be right in bar with you (I__'__ll be the one who is awkwardly trying to hear what you guys are saying. _

_Thanks Sannie _

_Anytime Rachie _

I always feel better when Santana calls me Rachie because it gives me free reign to call her Sannie, a name that I know is only used by me (anyone else would probably be castrated or worse…she has razor blades in her hair).

We finally arrive at the bar, and I see that Noah's car is already parked outside of the bar. _It__'__s now or never_. As we walk in and find Noah and Mercedes sitting and laughing about their week-long relationship. I slip into the seat next to Noah and send him a text.

_We need to talk. It__'__s about Caroline. Don__'__t worry she__'__s fine _

I see his phone vibrate and then his eyes widen and relax as he reads the at first scary, but then reassuring text I just sent him. He texts back:

_I__'__ll be there. ;)_

I smiled at the text and laughed to myself as he suggested that we go get drinks. "Here, I'll help you take the orders", I said smiling. He smiled back as everyone yelled their orders.

"Yo everyone! Stop yelling out your pussy orders. We'll have some from my long lost uncle, Jack Daniel" Santana yelled, hoping to have a repeat of my nightmare party from high school's alcohol awareness week.

I laughed and walked with Noah to order the drinks. "Okay what's up?" he asked nonchalantly. "I really want you to be her father figure Noah. I know it's a little late, but you know what they say, 'better late then never' right. So-" "Oh my god you're gonna let me meet her for real!" he said, his eyes lighting up like Brittany's on Christmas.

"Well you didn't let me finish. I don't want you to just meet her, tell her that you are her dad, and then walk out of her life for good." I started to say, "I would never walk out on her!" he said, almost looking offended.

"That's not what I meant. Noah I'm gonna go back to New York, no question about it. Right now I'm on Christmas break, but soon I'm going to finish my senior year. After I graduate, I'm taking Broadway by storm. I'm not giving up my dreams to have you become a father. I'm willing to work out a schedule if you-" "I'm moving to New York with you." He said, interrupting me and shocking me so much that I didn't even scold him.

"WHAT?" I said. "I've decided to move to New York. First of all I want to be near Caroline which means be in New York. Secondly, since bitchy Sadie isn't here anymore to stand in my way, I can finally pursue my dreams…to become a singer-songwriter. And before you start bitching about how I didn't think this through, I'm already rooming with Sammy and Quinn. Sure Sammy still has this thing to hold above me, but I really like being near Quinn. You know we have this bond thingy and the closer we are, the easier it is for things like _her_ birthday and mother's and father's days. Santana has already put in a good word for me at her new internship, and I think that I'm going to get into the company which means I almost already have a steady job to help support my family while my Baby Momma goes off to take Broadway by storm like I always knew she would." He stated, melting my heart and shocking me even more…since when did he start thinking things through?

"Oh my god. You know I was going to say that I needed to make sure that you were father material before I let you meet her, but obviously you just proved yourself. You can meet her tomorrow. Come over at whatever time you want, but I'm gonna need a babysitter while I pack everything up…you'd be surprised at how much you have to take with you when you travel with a baby…it's awful." My eyes melted, "but it's worth it, trust me. Don't worry about learning how to do all of the new things, I'll make sure you have some of the best teachers around." I said, after pausing for a breath, my voice softened, "and Noah" I said before he could walk away, "Yeah", he spoke softly as well, turning around. "thanks, I'm really happy that Caroline is going to have a father as good as you."

With that I left him to go back to the table with the drinks, not having to turn around to know that there was a big dopey grin on his face. I already knew; I had one on my face just like his.

**So, I hope you guys liked it. I have one more chapter coming today before I go on hiatus. Did you like it, hate it, love it? Were you bored? Please leave any comments for me when you can****…****thanks for reading **

**Ta-ta for now,**

**Caroline **


	15. Surprises, Surprises

**Hey guys I****'****m back, I know the same day****…****weird right. Well it****'****s a last minute thing as I explained before that after this chapter I****'****m going on hiatus for the summer. Sorry guys but I might write one or two chapters, but I won****'****t really have access to a computer because I****'****ll be out of town a lot. Anyways, I hope you like this chapter, Puck is about to meet Caroline, and there will be a few surprises thanks to my super ninja writing skills. Enjoy **

**Chapter 13: Surprises, Surprises**

**Santana****'****s POV:**

I saw Rachel walk back with our drinks. She has her dopey grin on, and I know that Puck told her about how he's coming to New York with us and rooming with Sammy and Q. This gives me and Brit plenty of time to figure out how to get Puckleberry together. (I know that I'm not the most romantic, but they're Brit's favorite couple and I support her.)

I haven't seen Rachel this happy in forever. I give her a wink and she smiles her thousand watt smile at me. I knew that bringing Puck back into her life would be a good idea. I think that the only people that are skeptical are Rachel and Sam. Sam, even though he is not her real brother, wants to protect her. I guess he's been like this since her single mom, Shelby, married his widowed dad, Dwight. Sam's mom got cancer the year that he was living in a motel. They couldn't afford treatments and the hospital basically said, "have a great rest of the month, oh and you'll be dead before the end of the next one! " Sam took it pretty hard, but moved on to be the head of his house.

Rachel was happy that her mom was finally happy, and she got Sam and his adorable little twin siblings, Stacey and Stevie (it's a good thing they never dated…talk about awkward!)

Anyways, Sam's taking all of this better than I thought he would (hey Puck's still alive isn't he?), but he could be taking it better. He only agreed to let Puck stay was so that he could keep an eye on him and for Quinn's sake. He would do anything for Quinn, and he knew the backstory with the-baby-who-shall-not-be-named. He knew that this would help her, so he opened up his home. Rachel isn't on board because she's clueless to the fact that Puck loves her unconditionally just like Blaine and Kurt just not gay-like.

I really need to talk to Puck though, before we leave for New York, and before he meets Caroline tomorrow.

"Hey Puck, get your ass over here, we gots to talk like now!" I yelled out, loud enough for the entire bar to hear. Even in the drunken state I was though, I was sober enough to fight for Puckleberry (again the name was not my idea). "Yes Satan" he stated, knocking me out of my thought process. "I'm going to help you get Rachel back. Here's the reason she doesn't trust you: she knew that you understood your mistake, or didn't mean it. She just wanted you to fight for her. So now, you have to fight for Caroline and for Rachel, got it?"

He took a moment to think, then he smiled, "yeah thanks Satan, I appreciate it, for reals". I could tell the for reals was from him being drunk, but everything else seemed genuine, so I let it slide. I was ready to get hammered on my last night here.

**Puck****'****s POV:**

I woke up this morning at 10:30. I showered, got dressed, and grabbed a few muffins and some Advil on the way out, dodging the tons of boxes that I had packed for the move. The neighbors had dropped off the muffins when they heard I was moving out and they were fricken delicious. The Advil was because I knew I would be nursing the hangover of Satan (it was for both of us.) Then I grabbed the present that I had wrapped the night before for Caroline

Santana had told me that Caroline was going through an animal stage because of Brittany right now, so I got her a stuffed giraffe which was apparently her favorite. I started my car and texted Rachel that I would be there in 10.

**Rachel****'****s POV:**

Oh my freaking lord. Noah's gonna be here in 10, and the house is a mess. We've been staying with Brit's parents because they were away, and the cleaning up process was hectic. Santana was heaving in the toilet while screaming for Advil, Caroline was running around, successfully tricking Brittany into not being able to catch her (it wasn't actually that hard, she just ran in different directions all of the time), and I was trying to get everything that we would be taking with us into a suitcase so that we could leave this afternoon. Lord have mercy on the Lima Airport. I feel bad for anyone who has to deal with Santana, much less a hung-over Santana who hasn't gotten sleep in days from partying so late.

Then, of all of the times it could happen, the doorbell rang. "Hey" Noah said cheerfully quickly handing over a box of muffins while sensing that I was spread way too thin right now. "Hey" I responded, completely out of breath. "Just a warning, Satan's in the bathroom heaving, the house is a mess, oh and watch out for Brits and Lynny, they're running around the house somewhere. Oh and thanks for the muffins" I added once I had gotten some of my breath back.

"OK, why don't you take a chill pill, and then I'll take care of Satan and Caroline while you and Brits pack, I'm already completely packed. The U-Haul truck is coming tomorrow!" he said obviously trying to help, "oh and I got this for Caroline" I swear…dude's like perfect

**Puck****'****s POV:**

Just then the most beautiful little girl ran into the room with a blond running in after her. When she saw the stranger in the room (little did she know that I was her dad), she hid behind her mom's legs with a curious smile on her face that reached all the way to her eyes, just like her mother's used to…I guess that was my fault partly.

"Hey Princess, this is Noah, he's your daddy. He's gonna come back home with us to be your daddy. Can you say hi and be polite" Rachel asked, her tone changing to pure happiness as she talked to our perfect child.

In response to her mother, Caroline ran from behind Rachel's leg into my arms as she squealed, "I knew that you would come one day, my dolly told me! She has a dad just like you! Will you come play with me?" She asked, and I had to keep myself from crying tears of joy. I looked at Rachel for permission, and she looked like she was holding back too. She nodded, "Of course. I'll be around the house packing if you need anything. Brit knows most of the rules, so you can ask her for anything, and please check on Santana for me. Brits is going to watch her, but just in case, be careful, she's hung-over."

"What's hung-over?" said Caroline from my arms. I looked at Rachel like _I got this one_, and said, "It's like being sick, only for adults instead of kids." I said, trying not to obviously stare at Rachel's obviously shocked and impressed reaction.

"Oh, let's go upstairs and play!" she squealed again, and I replied naturally, "OK Carrie Doodle Face" I said, poking her nose. She giggled and ran up the stairs, leaving me to chase after her. I have never been more happy in my life.

**Hope you guys liked it. I know that it was a little short, but my last two have been really long, so this one didn****'****t have that much to cover before they move to New York (YAY! Surprises!). Carrie Doodle Face is what my dad used to call me, and I thought it would be a cute nickname for Puck to use. As you can see, he****'****s kind of a natural father and he****'****s gonna be great in New York. As for Puckleberry, please be patient, it will happen. Also, there will be more Brittana, Klaine, and Fabrevans in the next chapter. Thanks for reading. Hope to write again a few times in the summer. Love all of my readers and would love for some reviews! **

**Ta-ta for now,**

**Caroline **


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